| Razer trots out mildly overhauled DeathAdder Black Edition USB gaming mouse Posted: 28 Jan 2011 10:45 AM PST When you've got a good thing rolling, why stop? That's the mantra applied to Razer's latest, which is actually the third DeathAdder to be released. You may remember the original slinking out way back in 2006, with the southpaws in attendance finally getting one of their own in March of last year. Today, in order to celebrate the device's Wood Anniversary, Razer's loosing the USB-connected DeathAdder Black Edition. For all intents and purposes, this is the same DeathAdder that we came to love last decade, but with an ever-so-slightly tweaked design that adds non-slip rubber sides and an all-black finish. It'll ship globally next month for $59.99 / €59.99, with orders being taken right... about.. now. Show full PR text Introducing The Razer™ DeathAdder Black Edition - A Tribute To Your Gaming Domination
Thursday, 27 January 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Introducing the Razer™ DeathAdder Black Edition – A Tribute to your Gaming Domination
Razer Launches Special All-Black Version of the DeathAdder
Carlsbad, Calif. – Jan. 27th, 2011 – In 2006, the world of gaming was taken by storm when the Razer DeathAdder was unleashed. Those who wielded it crushed their opponents with ease, and it became synonymous with gaming excellence. Now, five years on, the DeathAdder is used by more professional gamers than any other gaming mouse, a testament to its prowess in securing them legendary status in the history of competitive gaming. Razer released the Black Edition as a commemoration of this glorious collaboration between every single gamer and their never-failing, trusty DeathAdder.
"The DeathAdder legacy is something we're immensely proud of here at Razer," said Min-Liang Tan, CEO and Creative Director, Razer. "We set out five years ago to create the most ergonomically perfect mouse; conducting extensive research which spanned thousands of simulations and models. We even obsessed down to a micro-angle of the profile's curvature. The result is a mouse that becomes an extension of the gamer's hand, the ultimate device for gaming precision. We're releasing the DeathAdder Black Edition to celebrate every gamer's victory and every satisfaction thanks to its exceptionally precise design."
The Black Edition simplifies the DeathAdder's form factor design with new non-slip rubber sides for the most comfortable grip and best handling over extended gaming periods. Its complete-black finish is an aesthetic sight to behold, and a gamer's show of loyalty to a legacy of ownage.
About the Razer DeathAdder Black Edition
Razer DeathAdder BE
The Razer DeathAdder Black Edition pays tribute to a legacy built on precision and ergonomics, promising gamers the utmost comfort when delivering winning blows during competition. A familiar and highly ergonomic profile, 3500dpi 3.5G infrared sensor, 1000hz Ultrapolling with 1ms response time, 5 Hypereponse buttons, and On-the-Fly sensitivity adjustment all wrapped in a sleek pitch-black finish makes this the essential mouse for any discerning gamer.
Price: US $59.99 / EU €59.99
Availability:
Razerzone.com – Now
Worldwide – February 2011
Product Features:
* Ergonomic right-handed design
* 3500dpi Razer Precision 3.5G infrared sensor
* 1000Hz Ultrapolling / 1ms response
* 5 independently programmable Hyperesponse buttons
* On-the-Fly Sensitivity adjustments
* 60 – 120 inches per second and 15g of acceleration
* Zero-acoustic Razer gaming grade Ultraslick mouse feet
* Gold-plated USB connector
* 7-ft lightweight, braided fiber cable
* Side Grip with Non-Slip Rubber Coating
* Approx. size in mm: 128(L) x 70(w) x 42.5(h)
For more information about the Razer DeathAdder Black Edition, please visit www.razerzone.com/deathadder-be |
| Visualized: Google's periodic table of APIs Posted: 28 Jan 2011 10:21 AM PST The world of Google APIs and developer tools can be a confusing one, but the company has now at least brought a bit of order to the chaos with its own take on the periodic table of the elements. As you can see above, Android occupies the top spot normally reserved for hydrogen in the actual periodic table, and the remaining APIs and developer products are all grouped into their appropriate categories -- and, of course, linked to their respective websites. Hit up the link below to check out the table in its interactive form. |
| Motorola lifts our spirits with new Atrix 4G video Posted: 28 Jan 2011 09:42 AM PST Been feeling down this cold and dreary January? Well, let Motorola "introduce" you to its new smartphone! The CES conqueror we already know as the Atrix 4G has received its first promo video from the mothership, highlighting its laptop and HD multimedia docks (giving us a decent peek at the docked UI for both), dual-core processor and related gaming credentials, and, of course, that gorgeous qHD screen resolution on the handset itself. It's all set to a very uplifting soundtrack, connoting all the beautiful opportunity and potential that our collective smartphone future holds. [Thanks, engadgeteer]
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| Tesla details Closed Loop battery recycling program for Europe Posted: 28 Jan 2011 09:33 AM PST Electric cars need big 'ol batteries, like the Model S pack shown above, and while we've seen time and again that those cells hold up better than expected for years, eventually they're going to need to be decommissioned. What happens then? Tesla already has a recycling program in the US and now it's detailing plans for a similar program in Europe in partnership with Umicore. Tesla's packs are now eligible for Umicore's "Closed Loop" process, disassembling them to remove easily re-used components and then refining the rest of the cell constituents into things like lithium cobalt oxide, which can be used in other batteries, and other various byproducts that can be used in cement or as fill. The whole process of breaking down and extracting all the components is actually profitable, so hopefully Euro drivers won't get hit with any pricey Roadster disposal fees when they trade up to a Model S. |
| Sony Cyber-shot HX100V and HX9V models leaked, superzoomers in large and small sizes Posted: 28 Jan 2011 09:09 AM PST Two new additions to the Cyber-shot line have apparently leaked, and while they're perhaps not as titillating as some other consumer electronics the company has managed to let slip ahead of their announcement, we'll bring them to you just the same. First is the HX100V, a 30x zoom (27 - 810mm) compact that borrows some features and styling from the Alpha line. It has a 16.2 megapixel backside-illuminated sensor with BIONZ processing capable of recording 1080p video and, supposedly, has GPS in there somewhere too. Next up is the HX9V, pictured below, a rather more compact compact offering what looks to be the same 16 megapixel sensor but tucked behind a smaller, 16x optical zoom lens. It too is said to do 1080p video but, alas, we don't have any clue about price or availability for either. |
| Lockheed Martin's CHIL blends motion capture with VR, creates zombie engineers (video) Posted: 28 Jan 2011 08:46 AM PST Computer-aided design is a great way to build products, but does it let you bust a funky move while wearing some crazy glasses and gloves? Heck no. You need Lockheed Martin's CHIL for that. It's the Collaborative Human Immersive Laboratory, virtual reality goggles and gloves combined with motion capture enabling teams of engineers to work together in a virtual space. You can see it in action below, used first for installing polygonal munitions into a rendered version of one of the company's F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, then for doing a little VR tai chi. A Lockheed rep promises that this enables the team to ensure the plane can be more easily and affordably maintained, but we just see this as high-tech training tool for the company's world-renowned synchronized dance teams. |
| USC Smart Fences use spatio-temporal sensor patterns to create a DRADIS for airports Posted: 28 Jan 2011 08:24 AM PST How do you send an automated alert to a security guard whenever anyone tries to climb a fence, but ignore anyone simply leaning on said chain link? How can a sensor pick up the presence of a Jeep but ignore a steady flow of gigantic airliners? Damned if we know, we're just bloggers, but a team at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering figured it out, creating what's called the Smart Fence. It's a series of sensors plus some associated circuitry that easily handle the situations described above and do so with amazing accuracy. How amazing? Here are the results of one test: A perfect (100%) identification of unexpected intrusion events, and an average of less than two false positives per week and zero false negatives for recognition of human footsteps. In addition, no false positives or false negatives were reported by the installed fence sensors for a duration of 45 days of unattended operation, which included several days of seasonal storms. Yeah, pretty good. The system is being developed for use around airports and military bases and is currently being funded largely by Navy grants. Now, if only they could create a system to prevent " laser events" and airport blizzards we might be able to travel safely again. |
| Chevrolet rolling out Volt nationwide by end of year, everybody gets a plug-in Posted: 28 Jan 2011 08:01 AM PST Sick of waiting for your Leaf? Maybe you'll have more luck finding a Volt. Sure, it's not a pure EV, or even a pure series hybrid, but it is going to be a lot easier to find in the near future. Chevrolet has confirmed that the car will be going nationwide by the end of the year, expanding from its current availability in just a few states -- the crimson ones above. By the third quarter it will hit the great Pacific Northwest and the muggy Southeast, and then toward the end of the year it'll fill in the bits in the middle and warm the hearts and garages of Americans all the way up in Maine and Alaska. So, who's buying? Show full PR text Chevrolet Volt Rollout Speeds Up: Available Nationwide By End of 2011
2011-01-27 - DETROIT – Chevrolet is stepping up the national rollout of the Volt to match customer interest.
"We're accelerating our launch plan to have Volts in all participating Chevrolet dealerships in every single state in the union by the end of this year," said Rick Scheidt, U.S. vice president, Chevrolet Marketing. "This is the right thing to do for our customers and our dealers who are seeing increased traffic onto their showroom floors."
Chevrolet Volts have been delivered to customers in the Washington D.C. area, as well as California, New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and Texas. Customer deliveries in Michigan begin this spring.
Customers nationwide will be able to order Volts with participating dealers beginning in the second quarter. Deliveries will begin in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii in the third quarter.
During the fourth quarter, Chevrolet expects to deliver Volts in all 50 states.
The decision to accelerate the national rollout was influenced by Chevrolet dealers like Criswell Chevrolet in Gaithersburg, Md., which has seen a surge of consumers interested in the Volt.
"The Volt is clearly bringing new customers to Chevrolet," said Harry E. Criswell III, president and owner of Criswell Chevrolet "We are seeing 10 to 15 customers a week who are seriously considering buying a Volt. Many of them own competitive brands and now have a Chevy on their shopping list because of the Volt."
Some of that consumer interest has been fueled by prestigious industry awards and recognitions for the Volt, including:
2011 North American Car of the Year
Motor Trend 2011 Car of the Year
Green Car Journal 2011 Green Car of the Year
Car and Driver 10 Best for 2011
Ward's AutoWorld 10 Best Engines for 2011
AUTOMOBILE Magazine 2011 Automobile of the Year
2010 Breakthrough Technology, by Popular Mechanics
"Such recognition provides customers with credible, expert endorsement of new models, which is important for vehicles like the Volt that feature significant new technologies," said Scheidt. "Based on the awards the Volt has received, and the number of consumers expressing interest in the technology, we believe the Volt is the right car at the right time."
The Volt is an electric vehicle that offers a total driving range of up to 379 miles, based on EPA estimates. For the first 35 miles, the Volt can drive gas- and tailpipe-emissions-free using a full charge of electricity stored in its 16-kWh lithium-ion battery. When the Volt's battery runs low, a gas-powered engine/generator seamlessly operates to extend the driving range another 344 miles on a full tank.
# # #
About Chevrolet
Founded in Detroit in 1911, Chevrolet celebrates its centennial as a global automotive brand with annual sales of about 4.25 million vehicles in more than 120 countries. Chevrolet provides consumers with fuel-efficient, safe and reliable vehicles that deliver high quality, expressive design, spirited performance and value. The Chevrolet portfolio includes iconic performance cars such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long-lasting pickups and SUVs such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers such as Spark, Cruze, Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers "gas-friendly to gas-free" solutions including Cruze Eco and Volt. Cruze Eco offers 42 mpg highway while Volt offers 35 miles of electric, gasoline-free driving and an additional 344 miles of extended range. Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security and convenience technologies including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. More information regarding Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com. |
| HP CEO: New webOS products shipping weeks after February 9 reveal, another big announcement March 14 Posted: 28 Jan 2011 07:40 AM PST  It's been a few months since Leo Apotheker took the top spot at HP following the Mark Hurd debacle, and it sounds like he's got some big plans for the company -- speaking to the BBC, he says he hopes "one day people will say 'this is as cool as HP,' not 'this is as cool as Apple.'" How does he plan on doing that? By speeding up ship times, for starters -- unlike the year-long wait for the HP Slate, Apotheker says that "when HP makes announcements, it will be getting ready to ship," and that the new webOS products announced on February 9 will ship just a "few weeks" later. Speaking of the February 9 event, Apotheker said the new product line of tablets and mobile phones will have a new name that falls under the HP brand, which sounds like the Palm name is done for. (If we had to guess, it'll be HP webOS, but that's just a guess.) On top of all that, the BBC calls February 9 just the "starting gun," because Apotheker's "secret answer" and "vision of what HP is capable of in the future" will come on March 14, where he'll try to pull together HP's vast product portfolio into a cohesive narrative. According to Apotheker, HP's size is its "basis of strength," and no other company sells everything from servers to phones the way HP does. Sounds extremely exciting -- and if Apotheker can pull it off, there's a chance we'll remember Mark Hurd's dalliance as the best thing that ever happened to HP. [Thanks, soydeedo] |
| Motorola Atrix 4G apparently priced at $150 by Costco, too Posted: 28 Jan 2011 07:16 AM PST Never would we have guessed that third-party wireless retailers would be aiming to launch AT&T's powerhouse Atrix 4G for just $150 on contract -- $200 or $250, sure, but not $150. Alas, just a few hours after AmazonWireless' peep show, we're seeing an alleged leaked screen shot of Costco's inventory system showing the same blockbuster price. Now, bear in mind that AT&T itself will probably sell the phone for at least $50 more -- third parties usually have a second ETF on top of the carrier's that allows them to subsidize a little more heavily -- but it's a good sign regardless. |
| IDC: ZTE takes fourth in global cellphone rankings, leapfrogs Apple and knocks RIM out of top 5 Posted: 28 Jan 2011 06:54 AM PST You like numbers? Good, because it's the season and amid all these lovely financial reports we've been hitting there are some broader trends to look at. IDC has released its mobile phone report for 2010 and has concluded that, worldwide, the industry grew 18.5 percent over 2009, shipping a massive 1.39 billion units. That's nice and all, but check out this bit about ZTE. The manufacturer boosted its annual shipments by 94 percent, stealing Apple's recently-won fourth place position globally and, in doing so, knocking RIM straight into the dreaded "others" category. Can RIM make it back? Will Apple recover? Will Siobhan and Lucky ever reconcile their differences? Tune in next quarter to find out. |
| VW confirms it will build hyper-efficient XL1, Autocar gets to drive one Posted: 28 Jan 2011 06:27 AM PST Think the Volkswagen XL1 concept is too far out there to ever get built? Tell that to the blokes in Wolfsburg. German source Automobilewoche is reporting that executives Ferdinand Piech and Martin Winterkorn both confirmed that the car will be produced in small numbers, first for Germany and later coming to the US and China. It's powered by a diesel engine with less than one liter of displacement, managing 313mpg combined (that's Imperial, 260mpg using American units) putting out just 48hp and thankfully assisted by a 27hp electric motor. Not much, but enough for the 1,750lb car, which Autocar correspondent Milton Holloway got to drive and said feels "fully sorted" despite an engine that's a bit rattly. It is a diesel, after all. |
| FCC grants LightSquared terrestrial-only waiver, puts an end to LTE drama Posted: 28 Jan 2011 06:08 AM PST If you've been following the drama over LightSquared's application to build a wholesale integrated broadband / satellite network, it's time to put away the tissue box and toss out the bonbons. That's right, the FCC finally approved the company's conditional waiver for an ancillary terrestrial component integrated service rule. In other words, the entity gave LightSquared the green light to offer terrestrial-only phones, in addition to satellite service, as long as interference problems are addressed before the company starts building its network. Just two weeks ago, it looked like the FCC might strike down the proposal on a recommendation from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), which warned of potential interference on the SMS network with the likes of Department of Defense Communications. LightSquared remained silent during deliberation, but following the FCC's decision, both parties gave a thumbs up to the outcome. Honestly, we could have done with a more heated back and forth, but we'll leave that to the professionals. What time is Bridalplasty on again? Show full PR text LightSquared Statement on the Federal Communications Commission Conditional Waiver of the Ancillary Terrestrial Component (ATC) Integrated Service Rule
RESTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--LightSquared, the nation's first wholesale-only integrated wireless broadband and satellite network, issues the following statement on the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Conditional Waiver of the Ancillary Terrestrial Component (ATC) Integrated Service Rule:
LightSquared is pleased with the Federal Communication Commission's grant of its request to allow its wholesale customers to provide either dual-mode or terrestrial-only devices as part of an integrated satellite-terrestrial broadband service. LightSquared's network will provide a robust, open-access network that will permit reliable and affordable service to customers across the country in every market segment. The FCC's grant of this application is an essential building block for our network as we build out to meet the rigorous construction timetable that the Commission has made a condition of our authorization and reaffirmed in today's grant of our request.
To assure that its rollout of full commercial service will satisfy the concerns about the possibility of inadvertent harmful interference to certain GPS devices, LightSquared pledges a diligent effort to work with all interested parties in an open and comprehensive process to address those concerns. |
| New research suggests our brains delete information at an 'extraordinarily high' rate Posted: 28 Jan 2011 05:45 AM PST The mysteries of the brain may be virtually endless, but a team of researchers from two institutes in Göttingen, Germany now claim to have an answer for at least one question that has remained a puzzle: just how fast does the brain forget information? According to the new model of brain activity that the researchers have devised, the answer to that is one bit per active neuron per second. As Fred Wolf of the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization further explains, that "extraordinarily high deletion rate came as a huge surprise," and it effectively means that information is lost in the brain as quickly as it can be delivered -- something the researchers say has "fundamental consequences for our understanding of the neural code of the cerebral cortex." Show full PR text Out of mind in a matter of seconds
The dynamics behind signal transmission in the brain are extremely chaotic. This conclusion has been reached by scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization at the University of Göttingen and the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Göttingen. In addition, the Göttingen-based researchers calculated, for the first time, how quickly information stored in the activity patterns of the cerebral cortex neurons is discarded. At one bit per active neuron per second, the speed at which this information is forgotten is surprisingly high. Physical Review Letters, 105, 268104 (2010)
The dynamics behind signal transmission in the brain are extremely chaotic. This conclusion has been reached by scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization at the University of Göttingen and the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Göttingen. In addition, the Göttingen-based researchers calculated, for the first time, how quickly information stored in the activity patterns of the cerebral cortex neurons is discarded. At one bit per active neuron per second, the speed at which this information is forgotten is surprisingly high. Physical Review Letters, 105, 268104 (2010)
The brain codes information in the form of electrical pulses, known as spikes. Each of the brain's approximately 100 billion interconnected neurons acts as both a receiver and transmitter: these bundle all incoming electrical pulses and, under certain circumstances, forward a pulse of their own to their neighbours. In this way, each piece of information processed by the brain generates its own activity pattern. This indicates which neuron sent an impulse to its neighbours: in other words, which neuron was active, and when. Therefore, the activity pattern is a kind of communication protocol that records the exchange of information between neurons.
How reliable is such a pattern? Do even minor changes in the neuronal communication produce a completely different pattern in the same way that a modification to a single contribution in a conversation could alter the message completely? Such behaviour is defined by scientists as chaotic. In this case, the dynamic processes in the brain could not be predicted for long. In addition, the information stored in the activity pattern would be gradually lost as a result of small errors. As opposed to this, so-called stable, that is non-chaotic, dynamics would be far less error-prone. The behaviour of individual neurons would then have little or no influence on the overall picture.
The new results obtained by the scientists in Göttingen have revealed that the processes in the cerebral cortex, the brain's main switching centre, are extremely chaotic. The fact that the researchers used a realistic model of the neurons in their calculations for the first time was crucial. When a spike enters a neuron, an additional electric potential forms on its cell membrane. The neuron only becomes active when this potential exceeds a critical value. "This process is very important", says Fred Wolf, head of the Theoretical Neurophysics research group at the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization. "This is the only way that the uncertainty as to when a neuron becomes active can be taken into account precisely in the calculations".
Older models described the neurons in a very simplified form and did not take into account exactly how and under what conditions a spike arises. "This gave rise to stable dynamics in some cases but non-stable dynamics in others", explains Michael Monteforte from the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, who is also a doctoral student at the Göttingen Graduate School for Neurosciences and Molecular Biosciences (GGNB). It was thus impossible to resolve the long-established disagreement as to whether the processes in the cerebral cortex are chaotic or not, using these models.
Thanks to their more differentiated approach, the Göttingen-based researchers were able to calculate, for the first time, how quickly an activity pattern is lost through tiny changes; in other words, how it is forgotten. Approximately one bit of information disappears per active neuron per second. "This extraordinarily high deletion rate came as a huge surprise to us", says Wolf. It appears that information is lost in the brain as quickly as it can be "delivered" from the senses.
This has fundamental consequences for our understanding of the neural code of the cerebral cortex. Due to the high deletion rate, information about sensory input signals can only be maintained for a few spikes. These new findings therefore indicate that the dynamics of the cerebral cortex are specifically tailored to the processing of brief snapshots of the outside world. |
| Sony Ericsson LiveView update is here, promises improved connections and Bluetooth compatibility Posted: 28 Jan 2011 05:23 AM PST Good news, fellow Bluetooth watch fanatics! Just as promised, Sony Ericsson's finally doled out a major update to cure the LiveView once and for all. With this patch, users should now be seeing much better stability and compatibility with non-SE phones, as well as being able to install up to 30 plug-ins. We had a quick go on our refreshed LiveWatch and noticed that it now auto reconnects much better as well, and hopefully the same applies to everyone else. To get the update, simply use the SE Update Service for Windows (sorry, no Mac support) and follow the instructions -- download link available below if you're new to this. |
| Geolocation app appeals to your inner good samaritan, makes you an amateur EMT Posted: 28 Jan 2011 04:59 AM PST When you go into cardiac arrest, you've got about ten minutes to live if you don't receive medical attention, and the average emergency response time is seven minutes after you dial 911. In an effort to get folks help more quickly and leverage the iPhone's life saving abilities, the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District in California has created the FireDepartment app to enlist the help of the citizenry in fighting the (unfortunate) results of a lifetime of eating tacos. The iPhone app -- Android and BlackBerry versions are currently in the works -- allows emergency dispatchers to notify users via text of a nearby crisis. For those feeling heroic, the app displays a map with the victim's location and any nearby automatic electronic defibrillators, and provides "resuscitation reminders" in case you're the CPR teddy-toting type. For now, the service only works in San Ramon but there are plans to port it for use elsewhere. That means we can look forward to a nation of amateur EMTs, which makes us thankful that mouth-to-mouth is no longer a part of CPR. Check the video after the break to see the app in action.
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| Smart USA won't be stopped by snow, delivers first Fortwo Electric Drive to a customer Posted: 28 Jan 2011 04:34 AM PST Hertz may have been the first to get the suckers on the road, but Mindy Kimball of Silver Spring, MD is the first American customer to have a Smart Fortwo Electric Drive of her very own. She's a US Army Major and now has a funky little green (but not olive drab) and white coupe at home -- probably buried under a foot or two of white stuff at this point. She's member numero uno of Smart USA's so-called "Team 250," which will make up the first 250 owners of the cars, each of which offer a maximum of 72 miles of range and a top speed of 70mph. All while looking super cute. [Thanks, Jason] |
| Apple job posts point to built-in NFC capabilities for iPad / iPhone Posted: 28 Jan 2011 04:08 AM PST Ladies and gentlemen of the, ahem, jury, we intend to show -- through rumors and circumstantial evidence -- that Apple might very well be building Nexus S-like NFC capabilities into next-generation iPhones and iPads. We present for your consideration exhibits A, B, and C: three Apple job posts, seeking two managers of global payment platforms and one test engineer for iPhone hardware. According to the original post, the right engineer possesses a background in both ICT (information and communication technology) and RFID (radio frequency identification), which forms the basis for NFC. Suspiciously, Apple removed the "ID" in "RFID" sometime in the past 24 hours. Still not convinced of Apple's NFC involvement? Consider this: Apple's manager of global payment platforms is tasked with contributing "to the analysis and development of new payment types and processes." Okay, so there's not a smoking gun in sight, but a little innocent conjecture never hurt anybody. |
| Nikon patents DSLR camera / projector, high-end photographers may get to join the projection party Posted: 28 Jan 2011 03:37 AM PST Nikon's done the projector-in-a-camera thing before, but the S1100pj was aimed at the compact digital camera crowd. In what appears to be an effort to take its game to the next level, the company has obtained a Japanese patent for a way to give a DSLR those same mythical projector capabilities. Though the patent's english detailed description states that images are "projected on the screen of the photographing instrument exterior via the eyepiece of an electronic view finder," something may have been lost in translation -- the drawings show the projection coming out of the camera's lens, and our hopes and dreams won't let us see anything else. Regardless of how the thing works, we hope that Nikon puts it into production soon, as we -- proud members of the "serious" photo-snapping crowd -- would like to share our pics at parties, too. Hit up the source link for the translated patent documents, but be aware that the link won't work in Chrome (IE or Firefox only) and you'll need to put in "A" for the Kind code and "2011-10098" in the Number field to get them. What, you thought surfing the world wide web was easy? |
| Samsung Tabulates 2 million slates, 80 million phones sold in Q4 2010, breaks revenue records Posted: 28 Jan 2011 02:59 AM PST Score one for Samsung in its eternal struggle against South Korean nemesis LG. Whereas the Life's Good crew were licking their Q4 2010 wounds yesterday, Samsung's had the pleasure of announcing that the final quarter of last year helped it bust through all its previous fiscal records: total revenue ($139b), net income ($14b), and operating profit ($15.5b) all reached all-time highs. The fourth quarter's contribution was $2.7b in operating profit, 80.7 million mobile devices sold, 12.72 million flat panel TVs shipped, and two million Galaxy Tabs distributed to Android lovers yearning for some Froyo. That last number's pretty important as it shows the Tab's sales have almost doubled over the last month of the quarter -- it reached one million sales in early December -- indicating that there is indeed a hunger for slate-based computing. Oh, and if you're wondering what Samsung's planning for the future, there's a reminder that a device with a Super AMOLED Plus screen and a dual-core processor is coming to replace the Galaxy S in the first half of 2011. Good to know. [Thanks, Tascien] Show full PR text Samsung Electronics Announces Fourth Quarter & FY 2010 Results
SEOUL--(Korea Newswire) January 28, 2011 -- Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced revenues of 41.87 trillion Korean won on a consolidated basis for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2010, a 7-percent increase year-on-year. For the quarter, the company posted consolidated net income of 3.42 trillion won, a 13-percent increase year-on-year. Consolidated operating profit for the quarter was 3.01 trillion won.
In its earnings guidance disclosed on January 7, Samsung estimated fourth-quarter consolidated revenues would reach approximately 41 trillion won with an operating profit of 3 trillion won.
The fourth quarter results brought Samsung's full year 2010 revenue to an all-time high of 154.63 trillion won, up 13-percent from last year. Net income reached a record high of 16.15 trillion won, up 65 percent compared with the previous year, while operating profit was 17.30 trillion won, also a record.
Samsung's performance in the fourth quarter continued to be driven by memory semiconductors and strong sales of its cutting-edge smartphones. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, however, profit margins decreased primarily due to weakening pricing for memory semiconductors and LCD panels, as well as price competition in the TV market.
"Despite the difficult business environment including reduced IT demand caused by the economic slowdown, we achieved record-high results both in terms of sales and operating profit in 2010," said Robert Yi, Vice President and Head of Samsung Electronics' Investor Relations Team. "However, considering overall business conditions, unlike 2010, we expect the traditional earnings pattern of a weak first half, with a strong second half to return in 2011."
Samsung expected price competition to intensify in the consumer electronics, IT and mobile device markets in 2011, while major components prices are also forecast to decline. To offset pressures stemming from adverse market conditions, Samsung will focus on the cost competitiveness of its memory semiconductor portfolio, reducing marketing expenses and increasing shipments of high-end smartphones and tablet devices.
Samsung said the forecast continued appreciation of the Korean won during 2011 could have a negative impact on earnings, but the company's diversified foreign exchange mix would limit the effect of movements in particular currencies.
Capex to Reach 23 Trillion Won in 2011
Capital expenditure on a consolidated basis reached 21.6 trillion won for the entire year of 2010, including 12.7 trillion won for the Semiconductor Business and 4.6 trillion won for the LCD Business.
In 2011, Capex is expected to reach 23 trillion won. As was announced in early January, 10.3 trillion won will be invested in the Semiconductor Business, including 5.8 trillion in memory and 4.2 in system LSI. A further 4.1 trillion won is allocated for the LCD Business, as well as 5.4 trillion won for subsidiary Samsung Mobile Display.
Premium Memory Makes a Difference
Samsung's Semiconductor Business recorded a consolidated basis operating profit of 1.80 trillion won in the fourth quarter. Revenue reached 9.25 trillion won, a 16-percent increase year-on-year. For the full year 2010, the Semiconductor Business registered 10.11 trillion won in operating profit on revenue of 37.64 trillion won, a record-high.
Despite a weakening market trend, Samsung secured profitability by increasing the portion of high-margin products such as server and mobile DRAM, as well as by strengthening its market position with increased production of 40nm-class processes and below.
While the global DRAM market suffered from falling prices and weakening PC DRAM demand, NAND chips did well with help from surging demand for smartphones and tablet PCs. Samsung's market differentiation strategy in the NAND sector was to expand production of 30nm-class processes and below.
The DRAM market is forecast to improve in the second half of the year driven by growth in PC replacement demand from businesses. Samsung will continue to focus on energy-efficient green memory solutions for servers and enhancing technology leadership to maintain the profit margin of the Semiconductor Business.
LCD Looks to Second Half for Rebound
The LCD Business recorded an operating profit of 0.10 trillion won on revenue of 7.20 trillion won in the fourth-quarter, down 1 percent from a year ago as increasing shipments could not offset price falls. For fiscal year 2010, Samsung's LCD Business posted 1.99 trillion won in operating profit with 29.92 trillion won in revenue.
Overall unit sales for the period increased more than 10 percent quarter-on-quarter. While shipments for IT panels climbed supported by demand for tablet PCs, the fall in demand for TV panels was compounded by a buildup of inventory in the TV set market.
Average industry sales prices retreated across all segments in the fourth quarter. The average price for TV panels dropped 12 percent, with prices for monitor panels dipping 5 percent and notebook PC panels falling 3 percent.
Samsung forecasted LCD panel prices will remain low in the first quarter of 2011 due to supply outpacing demand. However, the company anticipated incremental demand increases in the second half led by the economic recovery and inventory restocking by set makers. Samsung aims to drive market growth with a new line-up of entry-level LED panels and explore the high-potential market for tablet PC panels.
Strong Smartphone Growth Powers Mobile Business
Samsung's telecommunications businesses – Mobile Communications and Telecommunications Systems – registered a record quarterly operating profit of 1.44 trillion won for the period, up 38 percent year-on-year. Fourth quarter revenue reached 12.11 trillion won, compared with 10.17 trillion won for same period of 2009. By finishing the year strongly, Samsung achieved full year 2010 operating profit of 4.30 trillion won on sales of 41.20 trillion won for its telecommunications businesses.
Driven by strong year-end demand for the company's flagship smartphones, Samsung's mobile device sales reached 80.7 million units for the quarter, up 17 percent year-on-year. This brought total sales for the year to 280 million units, registering growth of 23 percent and outperforming the overall market.
Following its introduction in June, Samsung's flagship Galaxy S smartphone has achieved worldwide sales of 10 million units, while the Galaxy Tab - an Android-powered tablet device - attracted strong year-end demand. In emerging markets, Samsung's diverse product mix of mass-market smartphones and touch-screen feature phones also registered solid sales growth.
While mobile device sales are expected to contract slightly in the first quarter of 2011 due to weak seasonal demand, Samsung forecast high single-digit sales growth for the year overall, driven by the fast-expanding smartphone and tablet segments. Samsung announced it will introduce the successor to its Galaxy S smartphone during the first half of 2011, featuring a dual-core processor and Super AMOLED Plus display to further enrich user experience. With its growing lineup, the company is targeting smartphone sales of 60 million units for the year, double that of 2010. In the tablet market, Samsung will complement its Galaxy Tab with a range of devices to optimally meet various user needs.
The Telecommunication Systems Business continues to strengthen its leadership in Mobile WiMAX and explore new business opportunities in Long-Term Evolution networks, cementing Samsung's position as a total solution provider offering both infrastructure and devices.
Demand for LED TV to Get Stronger
Samsung's Digital Media businesses, which encompass Visual Display, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, and Digital Imaging, posted quarterly revenues of 15.97 trillion won for the October to December period, up 3 percent year-on-year. The businesses registered a loss of 0.17 trillion won despite improved performance in TV and IT products. For the full year 2010, the Digital Media businesses' combined revenue totaled 57.26 trillion, up 12 percent from 2009, with an operating profit of 0.49 trillion won.
Samsung shipped 12.72 million flat panel TVs in the fourth quarter, a 40 percent jump compared with the previous quarter and a 17 percent on-year increase. LED TVs sales grew strongly during the fourth quarter as consumers in developed markets continued to adopt this new technology. Market demand for LED TVs is forecast to rise further, with the portion of LED models in the overall LCD segment expected to reach 51 percent this year.
In 2011, market demand for flat panel TVs is forecast to increase 11 percent, helped by strong emerging market sales. To enhance profitability, Samsung aims to increase sales of premium products such as LED, 3D and Smart TVs. It will also market region-specific models along with low-cost models in emerging markets.
In order to allow more consumers to enjoy 3D TV, Samsung will expand its 3D TV line-up beyond the premium segment, while offering improved picture quality and 3D glasses technology. Samsung's Smart TVs will get smarter this year by adding various new video and search features, and expanding its portfolio of TV apps from the current 400 to 1,000 by the end of 2011.
Sales revenue of the Digital Appliances Business climbed 16 percent year-on-year due to robust sales in developed markets and some emerging markets, such as Russia. Sales are expected to continue to expand in 2011 with the launch of differentiated products, while the business will expand and improve its overseas operations. |
| Xbox veteran Ed Fries joins Razer in an advisory role, probably to work on something awesome Posted: 28 Jan 2011 02:31 AM PST What do you do after spending nearly three decades tinkering with software -- from the humble Atari, through Microsoft Office, and into the modernity of Xbox gaming? Well, in Ed Fries' case, we're guessing you go to CES, find the wildest, most awesome gaming concept around, and sign up with its maker to help guide its development. Again, we're guessing that's what Ed's done, we can't know for sure what he'll be doing as a member of Razer's Board of Advisors, but there's no denying the proximity of the Switchblade's announcement and his joining the gaming peripheral company. Even if the kindly gent's focus isn't on Razer's portable gaming device, we imagine he'll be a good influence on other products going forward. After all, when has it ever been a bad idea to have more veterans on your team? [Thanks, JL] Show full PR text Industry Veteran Ed Fries Joins Razer's(TM) Board of Advisors
Razer Continues to Expand its Board of Advisors with Gaming Veterans
CARLSBAD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 27, 2011-- Razer, the world's leading high-end precision gaming brand, is pleased to welcome Ed Fries to its Board of Advisors. Ed brings to the table 28 years of gaming industry expertise, helping Razer stay on top of its game in delivering the best to gamers worldwide.
Ed Fries created his first video games for the Atari 800 in the early 1980s. He joined Microsoft in 1986, and spent the next ten years as one of the founding developers of both Excel and Word. He subsequently left the Office team to pursue his passion for interactive entertainment and created Microsoft Game Studios.
Over the next eight years, he grew the team from 50 to over 1,200 people, published more than 100 games including more than a dozen platinum titles, co-founded the Xbox project, and made Microsoft one of the leaders in the interactive entertainment business. In 2004, Ed retired as Microsoft Vice President to pursue other video game business interests, as board member, advisor, and consultant to a broad range of publishers, independent game developers and media companies.
"Ed Fries is a video game industry legend who brings significant experience, knowledge and insight to Razer's Board of Advisors," said Min-Liang Tan, CEO and Creative Director of Razer. "With his unrivalled passion and innovation, he will certainly have a positive impact on Razer's future direction."
"Razer is a company developing some of the most advanced gaming technologies in the industry right now. I look forward to working with the team and providing guidance to continue their successful line of gaming products and developing new growth opportunities." said Ed Fries, Former Vice President Microsoft Game Studios, CEO Figure Prints, and Co-founder Airtight Games.
About the Razer Group:
Razer™ is more than just the world's leading brand in high-end precision gaming products, perpetually defining the gaming technology space. Founded in 1998 in Carlsbad, California, Razer is driven by the ceaseless pursuit for absolute precision and heuristics in a distinctive, aesthetic design that will give gamers the edge they demand. With labs and offices in seven cities around the world, Razer dedicates user-interface research and development to bring cutting-edge technology to each and every product. Razer is made up of gamers who live by the motto: For Gamers. By Gamers.
For more information, please visit www.razerzone.com. |
| Notion Ink Adam hits the FCC, torn apart in haste Posted: 28 Jan 2011 01:59 AM PST Although Rohan told us that his Adam tablet had cleared FCC testing a few weeks ago, it's not until today, just now actually, that we've seen the filing go public. For our troubles the FCC has done us the solid of a full-blown teardown. And honestly, it's not pretty. Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised to see so many hand-soldered connections and individual strands of wire encompassing the NVIDIA Tegra T20-H-A0 application processor and embedded Ericsson F3307 HSPA broadband module -- it is, after all, the tiny startup's first mass-market device. But we've borne witness to many a splayings including the tidy tablet teardowns of the iPad and Galaxy Tab. As such, the Adam comes across as a bedraggled mess of suspect build quality -- great for modders, less great (potentially) for the average I-just-want-it-to-work consumer. Naturally, NI doesn't have the design or manufacturing muscle of Apple or Samsung and with the tablet having only just now shipped it'll be months before we have a good idea about the device's integrity. So kick back for now with a few of the more egregious components (like the swiveling camera) after the break with the rest piled up in the gallery below. |
| Fujitsu's tablet is easy like a hammer, cozy as a scarf, and never scratchy like Windows 7 (video) Posted: 28 Jan 2011 01:18 AM PST There's no denying that Meinolf Althaus brings some personality to an otherwise stoic slate. Good thing too, because the idea of Fujitsu and Microsoft spawning a stylus-driven tablet from a session of ugly-bumping doesn't elicit much excitement in the burgeoning tablet space. Enter Mr. Althaus who begins his lesson with an explanation that software user elements must be based on recognition and not on something that's remembered. You know, like a hammer (or Fujitsu's new slate) which is obvious in its usability and function. He then likens the current crop of consumer-based tablets to chocolate bars: they're great for consumption but do little to help with content creation unlike Fujitsu's Windows-based slate that's optimized for corporations -- spreadsheets naturally, not music or illustrations. The highlight, however, has to be the point in the video where he equates the Windows 7 user experience to a "scratchy" kitchen sponge that's useful for utilitarian tasks like cleaning the dishes. Fujitsu's tablet, he contends, is "cozy" like a silk scarf thanks to a custom-built layer that sits on top of the standard Win7 desktop. Brilliant. We'll take two... Meinolfs that is. You will too after watching the video embedded after the break. [Thanks, Hanson]
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| Egypt enters communication blackout with disruption to internet, SMS, and BlackBerry messaging Posted: 28 Jan 2011 12:44 AM PST We don't know what exactly is going on over in Egypt, but the country's government seems to have decided that keeping in touch with the outside world is no longer desirable and has almost completely shut down internet, SMS, and BlackBerry communications. It's not surprising, therefore, that reports are emerging in rather piecemeal form at the moment, though Renesys has hard data showing that almost all routes for exchanging internet traffic with the country have been shut down, with only Noor Group excepted from the block -- a move the internet analytics company theorizes might have been motivated by a desire to keep the Egyptian Stock Exchange online. The reasons for this blackout remain open to speculation and interpretation -- most of which, we remind you, has better destinations than your favorite tech blog -- but its content is clearly an extreme step for any government to take. Check out the links below for further details. [Image credit: seandenigris.com] |
| New adapter from Mitsubishi brings Samsung's old 3D-capable TVs up to spec Posted: 27 Jan 2011 11:57 PM PST Although 3D as a feature didn't become commonplace on HDTVs until 2010, Mitsubishi and Samsung have both been shipping a number of 3D-ready models for several years. However, they rely on a different input format than the one used by 3D Blu-ray movies, 3DTV broadcasts and most 3D videogames so an adapter is required to make it work, which Mitsubishi released for its own DLP TVs last year. While enthusiasts on AVSForum quickly developed workarounds to get them working with some of Samsung's DLPs as well, those won't be necessary now that Mitsubishi is releasing the 3DC-100S, which will work with Samsung's TVs (only projection sets, not plasmas) right out of the box. right now it's available as a part of a $449 MSRP starter pack bundle but word is it should be available on its own shortly, in case you want to check out some ESPN 3D action without shelling out for a brand new TV set, press release is after the break. [Thanks, Paul] Show full PR text New 3D Starter Pack from Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America Supports Samsung 3D-ready DLP TVs
Irvine, CA – January 27, 2011 – Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America (MDEA) today announced a new 3D Starter Pack that enables owners of both Mitsubishi and Samsung 3D-ready DLP® TVs to enjoy the ultimate in immersive, large screen, theater-like 3D home entertainment. The Mitsubishi 3DC-100S, which became available todayonline at www.Mitsubishi-TV.com, comes complete with two pairs of active shutter 3D eyewear, a 3D emitter, an updated 3D Adapter with remote, an HDMI® cable as well as a Disney® 3D Blu-ray® disc that includes 3D trailers of "A Christmas Carol", "Alice In Wonderland" and "Toy Story 3" along with an educational short on 3D presented by Disney's infamous Timon and Pumba.
The new 3D starter pack, which retails for $449.99, converts all mandatory 3D signal formats as prescribed by HDMI 1.4a for display on all Mitsubishi and Samsung 3D-ready DLP TVs, which allows consumers to enjoy 3D sports, movies, gaming and other 3D content.
Mitsubishi's 3DC-100S supports the following Samsung 3D-ready DLP TVs*:
650 Series​​​750 Series​​​75 Series
HL61A650C1F (tested model) HL61A750A1F (tested model)​HL-T5075S (tested model)
HL50A650C1F ​​ HL67A750A1F​​ HL-T4675S
HL56A650C1F​​​​​​​ HL-T5675S
HL72A650C1F
76 Series​​​87/88 Series​​​89 Series (not tested)
HL-T6176S (tested model)​HL-T5687S (tested model)​HL-T5089S
HL-5076S​​​HL-T5087S​​ HL-T5689S
HL-T5676S​​ HL-T6187S​​ HL-T6189S
HL-T7288S
For now, the 3DC-100S will only be sold direct to consumers by Mitsubishi, and there is currently no plan to make this item available to authorized Mitsubishi brick and mortar retailers. Samsung has requested to sell this product via Samsungparts.com. We are currently discussing this option with Samsung, and will provide an update if this happens.
About Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America, Inc.
Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America, Inc., manufactures and markets a comprehensive line of premium quality 1080p 3D DLP Home Cinema TVs and Unisen™Immersive Sound LED TVs, along with the world's first laser TV: LaserVue®. Recognized as the world leader and innovator of large display high-definition televisions, Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America builds products that lead the industry in quality, performance and ease-of-use. For additional information about MDEA, visit www.mitsubishi-tv.com.
LaserVue is a registered trademark of Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America, Inc. DLP is a trademark of Texas Instruments. HDMI is a registered trademark of HDMI Licensing, LLC. Disney is a registered trademark of the Walt Disney Company. Blu-ray is a registered trademark of the Blu-ray Disc Association.
The DLP chip has an unparalleled 8 microsecond pixel response time which is up to 1,000 times faster than nearly any other imaging technology. (source: http://www.dlp.com/hdtv/)
For support of all 3D formats, Mitsubishi 3D-capable TVs will require the use of a 3D source device that outputs the 3D checkerboard format or a 3D source device coupled with the Mitsubishi 3D adapter. In all cases an emitter and matching 3D active shutter glasses or DLP Link active shutter glasses are required in order to view 3D content.
The Mitsubishi 3D Adapter may be used to display 3D content only when connected to a Mitsubishi 3D-capable TV or a Mitsubishi 3D TV. A 3D source device coupled with the Mitsubishi 3D adapter is required to support display of 3D games, 3D broadcasts from terrestrial/cable/satellite and 3D Blu-Ray disc content.
*Mitsubishi has tested the 3D signal adapter from the 3DC-100S with representative models from several series of Samsung 3D-ready DLP HDTVs. Mitsubishi has not tested all Samsung 3D-ready DLP HDTV models or series and cannot guarantee compatibility with non-tested models or series. Samsung 3D-ready Plasma TVs are not compatible with the 3D signal adapter from the 3DC-100S. |
| Monster iMotion adds gesture control to your iPod, cigarette lighter Posted: 27 Jan 2011 11:24 PM PST We haven't always gotten along with Monster or enjoyed the MSRP of its products, but this latest one shows a bit of promise -- and a bit of price gouging too. It's the Monster iMotion, a car adapter for your iPod or iPhone that not only will charge it via the cigarette lighter but lets you get your motion control on, too. A wave of the mitten can be used to change tracks and the universally familiar "talk to the hand" gesture can pause. It doesn't look quite as comprehensive as EyeSight's tech, but it does have the advantage of being available now -- for $120. Hey, check out that gold-plated connector! |
| Google testing display ads in Gmail, our patience Posted: 27 Jan 2011 10:44 PM PST Oh, woe is us. Users of Gmail's web client are reporting a most unwelcome new visitor to their communication service: display ads. The right-most column that Google reserves for ads has heretofore been populated only by easy-to-ignore text links, but as of the past few of days, image-based advertising has also been sneaking out to unsuspecting emailers. The guys over at Search Engine Land have done a bit of digging and received the following statement from Google: "We're always trying out new ad formats and placements in Gmail, and we recently started experimenting with image ads on messages with heavy image content." This little trial does seem to be taking place on a very limited basis, which is why there's been no outrage since it began last Friday. Let's just hope that the Google Display Network that's responsible for these pictomercials thinks better of it and leaves our Gmails alone. We'd hate to have to leave the beautiful web for some impersonal mail-serving app. [Thanks, Greg] |
| Motorola will enable Atrix 4G's 1080p video recording in post-launch software update Posted: 27 Jan 2011 10:04 PM PST The software on Motorola's upcoming Atrix 4G has already been subject to some stern (and premature) scrutiny, but here's some rather more concrete information about it, courtesy of the company's own spec page for the device. As it turns out, Moto intends to launch the Atrix with some of its hardware capabilities clipped -- specifically its Tegra 2-derived power to encode 1080p content -- but will deliver them to users in an update (hopefully soon) thereafter. LG's Optimus 2X, which is built around the same dual-core chip from NVIDIA, has been spending its time before launch showing off exactly what those 1080p encoding skills can deliver -- both with video recording and through its HDMI connection -- so it'll be a downer for Moto fans to learn that their hallowed new superphone won't be able to match up at launch. Then again, when we think about how often phone makers fail to tap the full potential of their hardware, maybe we should just be happy that 1080p abilities are coming to the Atrix at all, eh? [Thanks, Mr. techcrunch] |
| Sony says NGP will be 'affordable,' won't cost $599, WiFi-only version also coming Posted: 27 Jan 2011 09:29 PM PST We had quite the interview with Sony's Jack Tretton, but we certainly didn't corner the market on hot new NGP details -- Eurogamer and Game Informer quizzed the company's Andrew House and Shuhei Yoshida, respectively, and came out with some important tidbits about the quad-core gaming handheld, particularly regarding pricing. Though Tretton seemed to suggest we'll see a price somewhere northward of the Nintendo 3DS's $250, Yoshida was quoted as saying "It's not going to be $599," laughing off the idea that the system would cost as much as the PlayStation 3's infamous appraisal at launch, and House said that Sony "will shoot for an affordable price that's appropriate for the handheld gaming space." While none were willing to cough up a real ballpark estimate, the SCEE president revealed one way that the cost might come down: pushing out a lesser model, a strategy we've seen before. House said that while all devices come with WiFi, "a separate SKU will have 3G," making us wonder which of the handheld's other groundbreaking features might carry a premium. After all, OLED screens don't come cheap. Find the rest of Eurogamer's excellent interview (including a bit about how Sony will prioritize downloadable content over physical media) at our source link. |
| VZ Navigator Version X breaks cover, adds 'virtual city' maps, social features, and more Posted: 27 Jan 2011 08:44 PM PST Paying a monthly fee -- or any fee, for that matter -- for turn-by-turn navigation on Android devices has felt pretty unpalatable ever since Google Maps Navigation happened, but Verizon's still trying to make things interesting with the latest version of its VZ Navigator product. A quick feature rundown of its new "Version X" is up on YouTube right now, and we'll admit, we're a little intrigued by some of this stuff: realistic 3D buildings in major cities (unlike the nondescript boxes in Google Maps, we imagine), some form of dead reckoning capability for those times that you don't have GPS reception, satellite maps, overhead street signs, social integration for letting folks know where you are, and a whole bunch of views for customizing the experience. We're assuming service is the same $9.99 a month that Big Red charges currently, but there'll also be a free version -- VZ Navigator Maps -- that dispenses of some of the crazier features. We're hearing this might be officially announced in a few hours, so more details will presumably be in tow; in the meantime, follow the break for the teaser video. [Thanks, Misty] Update: It's official. Full PR after the break. Show full PR text VERIZON WIRELESS LAUNCHES VZ NAVIGATOR VX ENABLING DROID TO DO DIRECTIONS LIKE NEVER BEFORE – IN 3D
New Version Gives Customers Enhanced Navigation Capabilities, Including 3D Views and Satellite Maps
Verizon Wireless today announced VZ Navigator VX – the latest version of the company's award-winning navigation service – is now available on select DROID™ smartphones, including DROID X by Motorola, DROID Incredible by HTC and the Samsung Fascinate™. Powered by TeleCommunication Systems, VZ Navigator VX is unlike any other navigation service offered today, providing customers with 3D navigation views using enhanced 3D city models and true-to-life images of highway and exit signs.
An evolution of ordinary direction services, the 3D capabilities of VZ Navigator VX are available in six cities at launch, including: Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Mo., New York, and Washington D.C., with more cities being added in 2011. The 3D city and road views add dimension to the turn-by-turn directions VZ Navigator VX offers. Other enhancements in the newest version include "real" signs and road views, satellite maps and day/night modes among other features.
"Verizon Wireless continues to add more to VZ Navigator, and VZ Navigator VX now gives our customers some of the most advanced mapping and navigation services available today," said Kristi Crum, director, Consumer Solutions for Verizon Wireless. "Whether they are in a familiar place and need to get around more efficiently or exploring new territory in a car or on foot, customers can turn to VZ Navigator to get them where they want to go."
VZ Navigator VX builds on existing location-based technology, including an easy-to-use interface, improved functionality for finding points of interest, the ability to run multiple VZ Navigator functions simultaneously within a navigation session and integration with Facebook®.
Customers can download VZ Navigator VX from the Android Market™. It is available for $9.99 a month for unlimited access, $4.99 for a weekly usage or $2.99 for a one-day/24-hour use. VZ Navigator VX is available initially on DROID X by Motorola, the Samsung Fascinate and the DROID Incredible by HTC with additional devices rolling out in 2011. Unlike traditional navigation devices that require annual upgrades to remain accurate, the monthly charge includes continuous updates to maps and points of interest. Download charges vary and airtime or megabyte charges may apply when browsing, downloading and using certain applications.
TeleCommunication Systems (TCS) (Nasdaq: TSYS), is a leader in location-based technology whose mobile services empower consumers to make quick, smart decisions when they're on the go. For more information about TCS products and services, visit www.telecomsys.com.
Verizon Wireless reminds customers that when behind the wheel, safe driving should always be the first priority. For additional information and a full set of terms and conditions for VZ Navigator, visit www.verizonwireless.com/vznavigator.
For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com. |
| Samsung's new dual-sided QWERTY remote for Smart TVs revealed by the FCC Posted: 27 Jan 2011 07:39 PM PST We didn't spot this one at CES where the phone-like RMC30D and standard remotes were the only options, but it looks like Samsung has an alternative Bluetooth remote planned for its Smart TVs (but not any Google TV products judging by that Yahoo! button on the remote side) that features standard buttons on one side and a full QWERTY keyboard on the other, much like the Boxee Box's remote. Judging by the ruler in the remarkably unflattering FCC photos, this one appears to be a bit larger and it's not immediately clear what that display on the QWERTY side is for. Obviously, if there's any chance users will be logging into their various Twitter or Comcast/Time Warner accounts on the TV they'll need something better than T9 to do it, but we'll have to wait to get our hands on this one to know if it's an improvement. Check the gallery for a few more pictures, we'd expect some kind of announcement on the RMC-QTD1 before Samsung's 2011 line of TVs hit stores. |
| Microsoft: tablets affected Q4 earnings, netbooks past their peak Posted: 27 Jan 2011 07:02 PM PST We had a strong (okay, really strong) hunch that the iPad was a contributing factor in Microsoft's waning Windows revenue in Q2, but there's nothing like a little confirmation from Redmond. During the earnings call, Microsoft CFO Peter Klein was asked if tablets were cannibalizing PCs, to which he responded: I think that as Bill [Koefoed] talked a little bit in his comments about netbooks and how netbooks were, they hit their peak last year in Q2, and I think what we've seen is over the course of this year in the consumer space, some of that volume being replaced with newer devices like ultra-portables and tablets. And largely, these are second devices, not primary devices. And that's caused a little bit of a drag on the consumer side. That seems like an admission that people aren't buying Windows 7 tablets, but either way, it's now crystal clear that Microsoft suffered during the back-to-school and holiday season because consumers who may have previously picked up a Windows 7 Starter netbook went for a glossy new iPad (or maybe a Galaxy Tab in the later part of the quarter) or a more powerful ULV ultraportable. Obviously, the shift to tablets is to be expected, but the latter bit about ultraportables is quite telling as well -- it seems to further confirm that people are seeking more power than Intel's Atom, although we don't really see how increased ultraportable sales would be a "drag on the consumer side" of Microsoft's business considering ultraportables run Windows 7 Home Premium or Professional. Sadly, Klein made no mention of Microsoft's future tablet plans, but stated that netbooks were past their prime. We're pretty sure that " next version of Windows" or whatever tablet OS Microsoft is planning couldn't come soon enough for everyone. Or hey, could we suggest reviving the Courier? |
| MSI's Windows 7-based WindPad 100W now on sale for $710 Posted: 27 Jan 2011 06:34 PM PST  MSI's first entry into the wild, wonderful, and oftentimes wishy-washy world of tablets is now on sale, but frankly, we aren't too sure we'd be jumping to hand over our $710 -- er, $709.95 -- for the WindPad 100W. The retailer is Simply Electronics, which just so happens to rank a few rungs below Amazon in terms of heardability-ness. At any rate, those willing to take a flying leap of faith should expect a 10.1-inch device loaded up with Windows 7 Starter, Intel's Atom Z530 1.6GHz single-core processor, 2GB of memory a 32GB SSD and a battery that'll keep things humming for around six hours. Here's hoping it'll perform better than that first wave of Win7 tablets, and you know, that you actually receive one. |
| Stanford researchers demo social NFC applications on the Nexus S Posted: 27 Jan 2011 06:06 PM PST To hear most mobile companies tell it these days, you'd think that NFC (or near field communications) is only for mobile payments. That's not the case at all, of course, and a group of researchers at Stanford's MobiSocial lab have now thrown a few new ideas of their own onto the table after getting a pair of Nexus S phones to play with. After first making a few tweaks to overcome some of Gingerbread's limitations -- it only uses NFC for reading tags -- they were able to develop a few social-minded applications that make use of the P2P functionality possible with NFC. That includes one example that lets you share photos simply by pressing two phones together, and a second that lets two phones share an application -- collaborative whiteboard, in this case. Unfortunately, those aforementioned tweaks to Android mean you can try out the apps yourself just yet, but the researchers are hopeful that similar applications will eventually be supported by Android and other platforms. Head on past the break to check them out on video.
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| OpenPandora begins 'private' sales, fast-track your open-source gaming handheld for an extra $150 Posted: 27 Jan 2011 05:29 PM PST What with all the excitement about Sony's quad-core handheld and Nintendo's autostereoscopic screen, we have to say, we nearly forgot about the open-source Pandora handheld slowly but assuredly shipping from the UK. Well, we've got some bittersweet news to share, and here it goes: you can now purchase a Pandora for $500, and have it ship within a week. What's bitter about that? Because normally you pay $350 and get put on the pre-order waiting list. That extra $150 sounds like quite the surcharge, but it's an option if you simply can't wait for your number to come up, and OpenPandora chief Craig Rothwell tweets that some portion of those monies will help support the project. Still, those extra units have to come from somewhere, and if you've been standing in line for months, we imagine you won't happy to hear that some rich kid can just swoop in and buy your Pandora out from under you without a care in the world. |
| Pioneer Elite HDTVs to ride again in 2011... as rebranded Sharp LCDs Posted: 27 Jan 2011 04:58 PM PST It was a dark day when Pioneer announced its mighty Kuro HDTVs would be no more, but the Pioneer Elite brand still has significant cachet and will return in 2011 on new high end TVs. The bad news? They will be LCDs, not plasmas, manufactured by its partner Sharp, a not entirely surprising move since this was actually the original plan for the Kuro brand back in 2008. Apparently both see potential as Sharp will gain access to higher-end AV salesrooms and integrators for its products, while Pioneer will have TVs to match its continuing Pioneer Elite Blu-ray player and receiver lines. Despite an impressive local dimming demo at CES we're still not sure Sharp can create enough new pixels to replace what we once had, but we should find out for sure when the new models arrive the end of the year, check the press release after the break for more details. Show full PR text SHARP LICENSES PIONEER'S® ELITE® BRAND NAME FOR HIGH-END LCD TV LINE IN THE US AND CANADA
01/27/2011
Mahwah, NJ and Long Beach, CA, January 27, 2011 -- Sharp Electronics Corporation, the U.S. subsidiary of Japan's Sharp Corporation, and Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. today announced that Sharp will be granted license of Pioneer's "Elite" brand for a line of high-end flat panel displays to be introduced in the U.S. and Canada this year.
Pioneer markets a line of high-end audio/video receivers, Blu-ray Disc players and speakers under the Elite brand, which enjoys a substantial high-end customer following and a strong, established dealer network. By marketing an LCD TV line under the Elite brand, Sharp will expand the distribution of its premium large-scale TVs. In turn, the addition of a line of large-screen LCD TVs will complement Pioneer's Elite home theater offerings. The Elite line of LCD TVs, which will be jointly marketed by Sharp and Pioneer, will be available through Pioneer's authorized Elite dealer network.
"As a leader in large screen LCD TV, we are excited to collaborate with Pioneer to bring a high-end LCD TV to the Elite consumer," said John Herrington, President of Sharp Electronics Marketing Company of America. "The Elite brand is highly respected in the high end market and Sharp can deliver the quality and innovation that Elite customers demand."
"Adding a line of high-end flat panel TVs fills a market need in the industry and will help reinforce the strength of a complete Elite home theater offering," said Russ Johnston, Executive VP, Home Electronics Department, Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. "With its cutting edge LCD technology and unmatched production capabilities, Sharp is an important strategic collaborator that will deliver a whole new dimension to the large-screen home theater experience."
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About Sharp
Sharp Electronics Corporation is the U.S. subsidiary of Japan's Sharp Corporation, a worldwide developer of one-of-a-kind home entertainment products, appliances, networked multifunctional office solutions, solar energy solutions, LED lighting and mobile communication and information tools. Leading brands include AQUOS® Quattron™ LCD televisions and 3DTVs, SharpVision® projectors, Insight® Microwave Drawer® ovens, Notevision® multimedia projectors and Plasmacluster® air purifiers. For more information visit Sharp Electronics Corporation at www.sharpusa.com. Find us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and watch us on YouTube.
About Pioneer
Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. is headquartered in Long Beach, Calif., and its U.S. Web address is www.pioneerelectronics.com. Its parent company, Pioneer Corporation, established in Tokyo in 1938, is a preeminent manufacturer of high-performance audio, video and computer equipment for the home, car and business markets. |
| Motorola Atrix 4G goes up on AmazonWireless, $150 on February 11th -- mistake? (update: Inspire 4G, too) Posted: 27 Jan 2011 04:32 PM PST We suspect the boys and girls over at AmazonWireless threw their Atrix 4G product page up early, because -- among other red flags -- the buy button doesn't work, but one important detail we can glean from it is that they seem interested in selling it for $149.99 on a new contract or $599.99 off-contract. Now, there are a couple of possibilities here; first off, since the page likely isn't supposed to be online, these prices might just be guesses or placeholders, but furthermore, keep in mind that AmazonWireless and other third-party wireless resellers typically charge less for devices on contract than carriers do, so we'd expect this to be at least $50 more directly from AT&T. Oh, and one other tidbit: searching for the phone on Amazon reveals a possible release date of February 11th, which would be even more aggressive than Moto's end-of-February guidance. Again, possibly another guess or placeholder on Amazon's part... but it's a date to keep in the back of your head nonetheless. [Thanks, Roman] Update: Turns out the Inspire 4G is listed, too, for $99.99 on contract or $499.99 contract-free. Thanks, Justin S.! Update 2: ...and they're gone. Whoops! |
| Diamond shaped supercapacitors could result in faster-charging, higher capacity batteries Posted: 27 Jan 2011 04:16 PM PST Superconductors pass electricity with zero resistance and make stuff float. Superfluids have zero viscosity and can climb vertical walls to escape containers. Supercapacitors? Well, they don't do anything quite so dramatic, but they could result in batteries that charge faster and hold more charge than ever. Capacitors in general have to run a balance between capacity and fast charging, but these fancy ones with diamond-shaped nanopores in zeolite-templated carbon, developed at Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan, are said to offer the best of both worlds. How good? Cellphones that charge in minutes, electric cars with longer lasting batteries, and free Superman Underoos for all. Naturally there's no word on when these things might actually escape the lab and show up in real batteries, but you already knew that, didn't you. |
| Hubble telescope sees furthest galaxy, 13.2 billion light years from Earth Posted: 27 Jan 2011 03:52 PM PST If you think Star Wars took place in a galaxy far, far away, you should probably prepare to have your perceptions of distance rocked. NASA astronomers believe they've laid their eyes what appears to be the most distant object ever spotted by humans... in the history of mankind, no less. The galaxy was first peeked back in 2009, but NASA has just confirmed (via that trusty Hubble contraption) that what it saw is actually the oldest known galaxy in existence. At a distance of 13.2 billion light years away, this galaxy is a staggering 150 million years older than the previous record-setting collection of stars. The cluster of blue stars is just a tiny galaxy, though -- NASA says you'd need hundreds of these little groups to make up our Milky Way. Head past the break for a closer shot of the constellation, otherwise known as a nondescript red pixel. |
| Alphyn Industry jackets play iPad close to the chest, stick smartphones on your wrist Posted: 27 Jan 2011 03:28 PM PST When startup Alphyn Industries speaks of jacketing an Apple iPad, the company means it in a literal sense -- this PADX-1 Ledge is a form-fitting polyester and silicone pullover with a zippered shelf to both protect your slate and offer easy access. Twin straps hold up the slate in a work-friendly position, connected to load-bearing straps built into the jacket that fully distribute the weight -- a technique founder Ben Raviv learned as a ballistics specialist for defense equipment provider HighCom Security. At $285, it's certainly an investment, but we found the garb both comfortable and quite warm when we donned it today at Macworld 2011, and though the close proximity of the screen to our chest didn't make for easy typing, it's more useful than other products we could name. Alphyn's also got a second $285 jacket, the SOMA-1, which also quite literally sticks an iPhone or iPod touch up your sleeve. We weren't able to wear this one, but we admired the design, with a zippered channel that runs all the way up one arm to connect and store earbuds and a thick transparent film for wrist-mounted use. You'll find the PADX-1 available right now, and the SOMA-1 up for pre-order at Alphyn's website. PR after the break. Show full PR text INTRODUCING ALPHYN INDUSTRIES CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGICAL APPAREL
San Francisco, California U.S.A. - January 2011
Imagine always having your gadgets at hand whenever you need them, accessible only to you. Alphyn Industries presents the next generation of interaction with Wearcom™ garments. Seamlessly interfacing with the latest and greatest communication devices, our garments proudly stand by the information revolution. Alphyn Industries is a brand new company dedicated to bringing you cutting edge apparel technologies straight from the military industrial complex and secret aerospace labs. Our products are the result of years of defense industry research and superior garment architecture. Through our new products, everything that you need to make the future a better reality is within reach.
The SOMA-1 Wearcom™ pullover is the most advanced garment on the market today. Dedicating a custom pocket for your smart phone on your left forearm, it is made of advanced waterproof thermal softshell with the perfect balance of strength, stretch and softness-- and it allows you to stay connected while out and about in public. The SOMA-1 is the first garment of its kind to allow for easy, single handed control of your smartphone. Designed to fit a variety of smartphone devices including: iPhone G3 and G4, iPod Touch, and other similar devices (2.5 x 5 Inch). Wearcom™ pullovers for iPhone and iPad makes it easy for you to apply the smart devices effortlessly into your professional and social activities.
The garment's architecture and the forearm support straps prevent the device from shifting around and helps distribute the smartphone's weight across the entire left arm and shoulder. The patented SOMA pocket is designed to hold your touch screen phone and enables you to control it through a thin but rugged and ultra transparent film-- clear enough even for your most important video calls. The padded protective cover can be kept in place in the open or closed positions. The protective cover can also be used to shade the device screen from bright lights or preying eyes. The SOMA-1 pullover has our Advanced Kangaroo Pockets with a zippered pocket on either side for your hands and a small middle zippered pocket.
The PADX-1 LEDGE Wearcom™ is your iPad's new best friend. With the PADX-1 LEDGE you can now comfortably use your iPad anywhere, with both hands freely available to interact with the device or with your environment. The patented LEDGE pocket securely holds your iPad on your chest on a protective, supported platform. It is designed to allow for easy access to a smartpad device when needed, and then for the user to quickly put the device away by simply zipping up the LEDGE pocket. The PADX-1 LEDGE Wearcom™ is designed specifically for the iPad. With the growing popularity of smartpad devices, we will soon also accommodate other devices such as the Samsung GALAXY, Toshiba Smartpad and the ViewSonic ViewPad.
The PADX-1 LEDGE Wearcom™ pullover is made of advanced waterproof, thermal softshell, with the perfect balance of strength, stretch and softness. A load-bearing harness system at the chest and shoulders supports the smartpad device and distributes the weight on the upper body to reduce fatigue. The patented LEDGE pocket is designed to hold the smartpad against the chest and allow for easy device viewing and control. The LEDGE pocket flap attaches snugly to the smartpad device to prevent it from shifting around. The pocket flap also protects the device from light impacts. The PADX-1 LEDGE pullover has our Advanced Kangaroo Pockets with a zippered pocket on either side for your hands and a small middle zippered pocket.
The ЯGen™ V1 Long Sleeve Shirt is extremely soft and comfortable. Its V neck collar, full length sleeves and light gray color makes it a stylish and easy-to-wear shirt. The ЯGen™ V1 features ЯGen™ Silver Armor technology designed to protect the wearer from invisible environmental threats like dangerous bacteria and EMI radiation, making it one of the most advanced garments on the market today.
ЯGen™ Silver Armor shirts are made with specially designed cotton fabric with silver particles that reduce odor-causing bacteria. Test results prove these garments are effective in inhibiting the bacteria (Lactobacillus brevis) that grow in sweat and form the odorous metabolites. By inhibiting bacterial growth, the ЯGen™ shirt also aids in the healing of cuts and wounds. To protect the wearer from harmful EMI radiation, the ЯGen™ shirt uses the Farady cage principle to deflect electromagnetic fields away from the wearer. ЯGen™ Silver Armor shielding has been shown in testing to provide modification to at least 99% in the frequency range of 800 MHz to 18 GHz. The ЯGen™ textiles have been tested for more than 100 washes without reduction in shielding effects.
All of our products are sold through our online store at www.alphynind.com.
Alphyn Industries is a San Francisco-based company founded in 2010 by Ben Raviv. |
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